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Gustavo Fring
'''Gustavo "Gus" Fring '''is a Chilean national and respected Albuquerque restauranteur/philanthropist who owns a successful chain of chicken restaurants, Los Pollos Hermanos, and uses it as a cover for an extremely successful methamphetamine distribution network in the southwestern United States. Character History Little is known about Gus's past, except that he came from Chile and was connected to Madrigal Electromotive GmbH. Mike is the only person other than Don Eladio who might know something more about Fring's background. Mike reassures Gus that if he can't find out anything about him from before 1989 (the year Fring emigrated to Mexico, and subsequently the United States), then it is unlikely that the DEA will either. In the late 80's, Gus and his partner, Max Arciniega, started a chain of Los Pollos Hermanos restaurants in Mexico. This, however, was a cover for their true intentions: to manufacture methamphetamine. They more than got the attention of the Juarez drug cartel by giving out "samples" to various low-level cartel players. At this time, the cartel was only interested in distributing cocaine, and Don Eladio punished Gus for his impertinence by murdering Max in front of him. To Gus's apparent surprise and displeasure, Eladio seemed to have some insight into his former identity; Don Eladio told him that "...he knows who he really is..." and that is the only reason he is not dead next to Max, who was just murdered in front of him by a younger, more expressive Hector (aka "Tio") Salamanca. Gus later immigrated to the United States and set up his network there with more Los Pollos Hermanos locations. He eventually formed an uneasy alliance with the cartel once they decided to enter the meth business after all. Despite having been in business in New Mexico for nearly twenty years, it was only shortly before his death that anyone suspected his involvement in criminal activities. He conducted his business with extreme caution, never dealing with drug addicts or those he saw as irrational or having poor judgment. This was due in large part to his established role as a legitimate businessman in Albuquerque. Gus lived in a typical suburban neighborhood, playing the role of a socially conscious philanthropist. His loved ones did not know about his real business activities; it would be easy to assume he simply spent his days managing his restaurants and attending functions and banquets. He offered a cash reward for the info on Hank Schrader's attempted assassination. He also sat on the board of at least one ABQ hospital. Season 2 Gus is introduced to Walter and Jesse after the two's failed efforts to sell their meth leads to their street dealers either being killed (Combo), arrested (Badger), or quitting (Skinny Pete). Saul Goodman makes the blunt observation "You two suck at peddling meth," but as the two still have 38 pounds remaining, Saul offers to connect them with a distributor through "a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy." Saul manages to arrange a meeting between Walt, Jesse and the distributor at a Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant, but when Jesse turns up for the meeting late, high and agitated, the distributor does not make contact. Saul says later they likely blew their chance, but Walt, after some consideration, returns to the restaurant on his own. Asking to see the manager - Gus, who had stopped by their table during the earlier visit to the restaurant to see if they were enjoying their meal - Walt deduces that Gus is their contact after all. He praises Gus for his discipline and caution, saying that he sees the two as alike in that regard. Gus then drops his facade, saying that Walter is not cautious at all and exhibits poor judgment by bringing the obviously high Jesse to a meeting. Walt counters that the quality of his product should outweigh any of these concerns and that Gus will never have to see or deal with Jesse. Gus demurs on whether or not the two will deal, but then on a later visit by Walt he is approached by Gus's henchman, Victor, with a final deal: $1.2 million for the remaining 38 pounds, delivered in one hour or not at all . After the deal goes down, we see Gus with two other local businessmen meeting Hank at the DEA Albuquerque office regarding a "fun run" they are sponsoring. Gus notices Walt's photo on a donation jar and asks if Walt is an agent. Hank explains that Walt is his brother-in-law and that he is fighting lung cancer. While it is implied that Gus already looked into Walt's background before making the deal, this confirms Gus is aware of Walt's health issues and family connection to the DEA . Season 3 Following the success of the previous deal, Gus invites Walt back to Los Pollos Hermanos and makes a new offer: $3 million for three months of his time. Walt, seriously jarred by the plane collision over Albuquerque and his separation from Skyler, refuses the offer by claiming he is not a criminal and wants to be done with the business . Gus seems to accept this, but later, when Gus's right hand man Mike calls Gus's henchman Victor to inform him that the Cousins are ready to kill Walt, he uses his influence with the cartel to call off the hit . Meeting with Juan Bolsa, the Cousins and Tio Salamanca, Gus is told that the cartel holds Walt responsible for the death of Tuco - an important man in their organization - and that his execution has been sanctioned. Gus says that while he has no issues with their right to vengeance, he is presently in business with Walt and does not want him killed until that business has concluded. Bolsa agrees to advise the Salamanca family to be patient, but warns Gus that delaying could cost him his high standing with the cartel . Successfully baiting Walt with half the money from a drug deal Jesse made through Saul, Gus invites him to his industrial laundromat where he reveals the details of his offer: he has constructed a massive "superlab" underneath the laundromat for mass producing methamphetamine. Receiving legitimate chemical deliveries every week and able to filter the byproducts of cooking meth via the laundry's filtration systems, the facility is capable of producing at least 200 pounds of methamphetamine per week. Swaying Walt with the high-tech apparatus of the lab, he closes the deal by appealing to Walt's pride in providing for his family . With Walt's services engaged alongside Gale Boetticher in the lab, Gus's attention turns to the Cousins, who have taken to sitting in his Los Pollos restaurant all day, ordering nothing and saying nothing. He reiterates that Walt will not die until their business is finished, and offers the Cousins permission to take their vengeance on Hank, who was Tuco's actual killer . However, when the Cousins make their move to kill Hank while he is unarmed in a store parking lot, an anonymous person calls Hank and, using a voice modifier, warns him of the impending attack. It is this warning that allows Hank to get the jump on the Cousins and take them down . After the attack on Hank, Bolsa contacts Gus demanding an explanation, as the Cousins would never have shot Hank without approval. He concedes that meth shipments will be delayed indefinitely, then vows to learn the truth about the assassination plot from the surviving cousin, Leonel. Shortly afterwards, Gus goes to the hospital with a large buffet of fried chicken for the police officers keeping vigil over Hank, also revealing that he is offering a $10,000 reward for information on the assailants. In a room with Walt, Skyler, Marie, Walt Jr. and ASAC Merkert, he mentions that he knew Hank from the fun run sponsorship and that Hank was raising money for Walt's cancer treatments at the time. Walt, speaking to Gus afterwards, expresses that Hank is not a danger to their arrangement but he continues to fear for his family's safety. Gus simply says that he investigates everyone he does business with and doesn't feel there is anything to worry about, as the surviving assassin's survival is doubtful. Shortly afterwards, Leonel goes into cardiac arrest and dies - murdered by a lethal injection from Mike. Following this death, Bolsa calls Gus, angrily stating that he thinks Gus was behind both the authorization of the shooting and the death of the second Cousin, possibly as a move to break away from the cartel. Promising that he will weather the federal attentions and find proof of Gus's treason, he is interrupted by glass breaking and gunfire as unseen assailants gun down his bodyguards and then him. Hearing Bolsa die on the other end, Gus quietly smiles, then disables and discards the cell phone . As the methamphetamine production accelerates, Gus's method of distribution is revealed: he has the meth broken up into pound bags, concealed in buckets of batter for fried chicken marked with a star only visible under ultraviolet light, and taken to other states in Los Pollos Hermanos trucks. Walt, after calculating how much Gus stands to make off the deal - $96 million at wholesale price - meets with him to voice his theory that the establishment of the superlab was part of his overall strategy to cut the cartel out and establish himself as the chief distributor of the Southwest. He also says that he sees the shooting of Hank as part of this play, both to increase federal attention on the cartel and ensure Walt's safety. While not acknowledging the truth of this statement, Gus does agree to a raise and an open-ended extension of Walt's contract - $15 million a year - as well as continued protection of his family . Season 4 Mike calls Gus on his cell phone shortly after he hears from Victor about Gale's death at the hands of Jesse. A significant amount of time after this, he arrives at the superlab, gets undressed, changes into a hazmat suit, and viciously slits Victor's throat, holding him firmly and directing the aim of the blood in Walt and Jesse's direction. He remains eerily calm during the murder, and after he feels Victor die, gazes at the two of them with anger and disappointment and leaves his dead henchman on the floor while he washes up and changes back into his original clothes. The only words he speaks to them are "Well...get back to work" before he exits, leaving them to clean up the mess he made and dispose of the corpse. Gus later tells Mike that he does not want to lay his eyes on Walt ever again, and Mike communicates this to Walt. He also brings in a new henchman, Tyrus, whom he instructs to station himself in the lab and help Walt and Jesse with their cooking. Walt, desperate and fearing for his life, drives to Gus's house at night and plans to kill him. As he walks to the driveway, he gets a phone call from Tyrus, who is watching him nearby and tells Walt to leave. Gus gives Mike the go-ahead when Mike reports him of Jesse's current behavior. The Mexican Cartel victimize Gus's men one by one, until a talk is conducted between them. A man named Gaff threatens Gus that the Cartel is furious with Gus, and asks " Is it a yes, or a no?" Gus's intentions to negotiate are nullified. Gus is called in by the DEA for questioning after having a grim discussion with Hector Salamanca. In the previous episode, agent Hank Schrader became convinced that Gus Fring was related to the murder of meth cook Gale Boetticher after a Los Pollos napkin was found with a serial number written on it in pen. If Gale was an alleged vegetarian, what was he doing with property that had belonged to a fried chicken joint? After a meeting with Merkert and Gomez, they decide to bring in Gus for questioning. He comes in to the office voluntarily. While waiting outside an office for the friendly interrogation, Gus spots a missing person's report posted on a billboard across the corridor from him with a sketch depicting Victor. Gus is called in by agents Hank, Gomez, Merkert, and APD detective Tim Roberts, who question why his fingerprints were found at Gale's crime scene. Gus acknowledges meeting with Gale, explaining that Gale had won a chemistry scholarship he funded and that Gale had contacted him recently seeking money for an investment. Before Gus could be excused, Hank butts in, asking him, "Is Gustavo Fring your real name?" Gus assures him that it is, and poor recordkeeping in Chile in the days under Pinochet could explain why Hank could find nothing about his background. With that, Gus is free to go. Hank is still uncertain, but his colleagues agree that he is innocent, his alibi is unquestionable, and that nothing legal can get him into trouble with the case. Outside, Gus can be seen twitching his index finger and his thumb, nonchalant. . After Hank's suspicion of Gus, he convinces a denying Walt to bug Gus's car with a tracking device. Walt makes amends to Gus, telling him that it isn't his idea. Gus tells him politely to do it anyway. After a day of work at one of his resturaunts, Gus unclamps the bug, and places it on a newspaper stand outside a Pollos Hermanos. Walt implores with him through a security camera he uses to monitor Walt that it isn't his fault, and that no action should be taken against Walt's brother-in-law. With that being said, the two enemies resume their seperate routines. When an eccentric, bumbling Hank, and Walter return to a Pollos Hermanos to confiscate their tracking device, it turns out to be still attached to his Volvo station wagon. Hank boots up their tracker to his PC, but he is disappointed. From the data Hank's bug had to offer, Gus drove his car to work, then back home, all week. He does find, however, that all of Gus's resturaunt establishments have a common base of operations. Knowing this, Walt alarms Gus. That day, Jesse is helping Mike clean up any potentially incriminating evidence at the facility. One of Jesse's co-workers is sniped from an unknown location. He watches in terror as the one of Gus's men has their brains splattered about before his very eyes. The sniper's crosshairs center on Jesse, who is saved at the last second by Mike. Gus steps onto the hallowed ground. Mike presumes that Gus does not know they are in the middle of an ambush. He orders Gus to get down, but the boss walks straight at the sniper fire his body language says 'bring it on'. The gunman continues fire into Gus's path, intentionaly missing him. Knowing that Gus sees what he is trying to do, Gaff is satified his message is delivered and ceases fire. Gus is not at all intimidated but in his office after the incident, he tells a voice over the phone that he is willing to accept the Cartel's demands. Jesse makes noise to Mike about the shooting death of his co-worker and walking into bullets superman routine from Gus prompting Mike to set up a meeting, "you got questions?. Ask him yourself." Gus greets him at his door later on for a dinner meeting. " I hope you brought an appetite," he teases. Panic-stricken, Jesse wants to know what is to become of he and Walt. Gus replies by asking Jesse if he can cook Walt's formula without help. Disgusted, Jesse persists that he will not allow Gus to execute Walt and still cook for him. Gus describes that conditions with the Mexican Cartel have become untenable and he wishes to avert all out war. He pursues the question. " Can you cook solo?" Gus eventually takes Jesse to Mexico, to the land where his former partner passed away. His plan is slowly coming to fruition: Jesse is his answer to the cartel's demand. He will offer Pinkman as his olive branch, to teach them how to cook blue meth themselves. He watches in pride as Jesse cooks a 96% pure meth in the cartel lab, proving he is indeed the cook for the job. In celebration, they take Jesse, Gus and Mike to a familiar location: Don Eladio's estate. Gus stares at the pool and swallows a hidden gel capsule as Eladio emerges with his captains. Gus offers Eladio his favorite brand of tequila as a peace offering, and the ever-cautious Don makes sure Gus takes a shot before drinking any himself, along with his captains. As the party begins to rage, Gus excuses himself to go to the bathroom. Once inside, he lays a towel down and discreetly vomits into the toilet. As Gus emerges from the bathroom several cartel members begin to fall to the ground. The tequila was poisoned with a fast acting, lethal toxin. The capsule consumed by Gus delays the effect of the poison allowing him time to purge, narrowly avoiding death. As a weakened Gus walks into his view, Eladio's face contorts with rage and he falls into the pool, dead. Gustavo Fring's twenty year revenge finally comes to fruition . Tyrus, who was keeping an eye on Hank, sees Hector Salamanca being loaded into the van at the police headquarters and calls Gus. Despite Tyrus's offer to the contrary, Gus is adamant that he will kill Salamanca himself. After Hector is returned to the nursing home, Tyrus enters and sweeps the place for bugs and cameras. When Gus arrives, he insults Hector for calling the DEA. Tyrus prepares a syringe and hands it to Gus. As Gus brings the needle closer to Hector's arm, Hector begins to look remorseful, then looks at Gus at last with an expression of pure wrath. He begins furiously ringing his bell and Gus notices it is rigged to a bomb. Gus stands up and yells as the bomb goes off. Despite the explosion, Gus manages to walk out of the room and straighten his tie maintaining his dignity before collapsing to the floor, dead, with the entire right side of his face missing . Trivia *Gus drove a modest, dark blue Volvo V70 station wagon, as to "hide in plain sight." *Gus's blood type is O-. Category:Characters Category:Deceased characters